V. I. Lenin

Memo To J. V. Stalin With The Draft Decision Of The Political Bureau Of The C.C., R.C.P.(B.)

On The Formation Of A Federation Of Transcaucasian Republics

Written:28 November, 1921First Published:First published, in abridged form. In 1923 in the bookDvenadtsaty syezd(Twelfth Congress of the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks 1), April 17-25, 1923. Bulletins. Moscow, Publishing House at the All-Russia Central Executive Committee; Published in full for the first time, according to the manuscript, in this volumeSource:Lenin’sCollected Works, 2nd English Edition, Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1965,Volume 33, page 127Translated:David Skvirsky and George HannaTranscription\HTML Markup:David Walters&R. CymbalaCopyleft:V. I. Lenin Internet Archive (www.marx.org) 2002. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of theGNU Free Documentation License

November 28

Comrade Stalin, in the main I agree with you, but I feel that
      the wording should be somewhat amended.

1) While a federation of Transcaucasian republics is absolutely
         correct in principle, and should be implemented without fail,
         its immediate practical realisation must be regarded as
         premature, i. e., a certain period of time will be required
         for its discussion, propagation and adoption by lower Soviet
         bodies;

2) the Central Committees of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
         shall be instructed (through the Caucasian Bureau) to submit
         the federation question for broad discussion in the Party and
         by theworker and peasant masses,conduct vigorous
         propaganda in favour of a federation and secure decisions to
         that effect by the congresses of Soviets in each of these
         republics. Should serious opposition arise, the Political
         Bureau of the CC., H.C.P. must be informed accurately and in
         good time.